Berlin Christmas Shopping

Darren Cooper, travel editor for Beige Magazine gets into the festive season in Berlin's sparkling Christmas markets.


Being a typical bloke (when it comes to Christmas shopping that is) I was delighted to get the chance to hit the shops early this year to find a few perfect little Christmas gifts. My usual frantic dash down the Kings Road has become something of an annual tradition and one that I could well do without the stress of repeating this year.

Thankfully Lufthansa have come to the rescue and whisked me to Berlin to experience the festive season, which gives me the chance to scour the city for some original and inventive gifts for my nearest and dearest.

What better place to start than Berlin’s Christmas markets, yes there’s more than one. In fact a quick visit to the Berlin Info Store informs me that there are over 50! First stop is the market located at the beginning of the Kurfurstendamm, which as luck would have it is also one of West Berlin’s most famous shopping streets too. The Weihnachtsmarkt an der Gedächtniskirche (Christmas Market at the Memorial Church) really evokes the traditional spirit of Christmas, the centre piece of the market is an enormous Christmas tree that looks over the 100 or so stalls.

There’s all manner of scrumptious treats on offer, colourful sweets and food, all beautifully packaged and traditional wooden toys and crafts destined for lucky kids. The whole nostalgic atmosphere is topped off by the spicy aroma of mulled wine, hot apple pies and hot chocolate. The perfect Christmassy accompaniment to browsing the stalls.

I am reliably informed by some in the know locals whilst browsing that the Weihnachtsmarkt in Opernpalais on Unter den Linden should definitely be the next stop on my Christmas bonanza and who am I to argue? The trip over to what was East Berlin takes me past the beautifully illuminated Brandenburg Gate and down Friedrichstrasse, another up market shopping street lined with tempting, top end boutiques and brasseries. My stroll up Friedrichstrasse also takes me past the WeihnachtsZauber on Gendarmenmarkt, another Christmas market which also seems worth exploring, despite the 1Euro entrance fee.

Luckily I am not disappointed; the Gendarmenmarkt is possibly the most beautiful public square in Berlin flanked by the concert hall and both the German and French cathedrals. The square’s beauty is only enhanced by the cheery illuminations and an immaculate, sparkling white Christmas tree. The vendors stalls here prove no less impressive as there’s an emphasis on art, photography and sculpture as well as elegant toys, gifts and jewellery too. There’s also respite from the winter chill in the heated craftsmen tent where you can watch toymakers, goldsmiths, and wood carvers at work, well worth the small entrance fee which also seems to have kept the crowds to a manageable throng too.

Detour over, I carry on up to another of Berlin’s famous streets, the wide boulevard of Unter den Linden. This wide avenue is named after the Linden trees that run its full length and have been wrapped with lights for the winter making the perfect backdrop to the market itself. Either side of the road are the majestic buildings of Humboldt University, the State Opera and numerous Embassies too. The atmosphere is indeed nostalgic with horses pulling carriages and puffing huge plumes of steam as they do, and a Ferris wheel that gives an excellent panorama of the city skyline.

The stalls here are also laden with local crafts and gifts not only from all over Germany but also the Czech Republic too offering an overwhelming choice of Christmas goodies, knick-knacks and stocking fillers. The Käthe Wohlfahrt Company which sells its famous and unique brand of kitsch Christmas treats is particularly hard to resist.

The largest of the Christmas markets in Berlin though is located in the large square of Alexanderplatz, next to the main train station. It’s possibly the most child friendly market with a whole host of rides and carrousels to enjoy, there’s certainly no age limit though and the atmosphere seems to bring out the big kid in everyone. There’s also an ice skating rink which seems like the ideal place to soak up the atmosphere, safe in the knowledge that I won’t be needing to get my own skates on my return to London.

A quick check of my Christmas list reveals that I have found some great pressies for just about everyone, even those notoriously difficult to please individuals (you know who you are.) It’s a great, yet unusual feeling of relief.

I wonder if they’ll miss my traditional yet manic last minute dash around London this year?


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Christmas Markets

I'm travel editor of the UK's biggest and best lesbian magazine Diva, which means when I'm not hunting down Deutschland's hot spots, I'm exploring the great and the glamorous gay scenes around the world.


Being a self-confessed ‘recessionista’, this year Christmas shopping is all about being chic and cheap and finding some beautiful, unique gifts that don’t look like they’ve come straight from the Argos catalogue.

So, this month instead of traipsing New Bond Street or the boutiques of Portobello Road, I’ve jumped on the first Lufthansa flight I could find and touched down, (having been thoroughly pampered with the blue-grey elegance of Business Class), in Frankfurt.

I’ve given myself just five days to hit Germany’s top three Christmas markets and buy my very demanding family and friends some extra special presents.

I’ve come for the beautiful wooden crafts, the candles, the lambskin blankets and of course, the festive thrill of a nice glass of mulled wine and baked apple while I browse.

Despite the amazing retail opportunities, Deutschland’s famous Christmas markets resist the tacky taint of commercialism because they have a history and tradition far holier than Oxford street’s.

The centuries-old tradition reaches back to a time when regular seasonal markets took place throughout the year. Christmas Markets were a welcome distraction during icy winter months. They would have been mainly held around the city’s main church to attract a holy crowd. The markets were so popular that apparently, in 1616 a priest in Nürnberg complained that no one attended the Christmas Eve service.

I imagine Christmas Markets got way more popular once religious reformer Martin Luther instituted new customs for Christmas. Before Luther, the exchanging of presents took place on the saint days of St. Nicholas, December 6, or of St. Martin, on November 11. But Luther suggested that children receive presents from “the Christ child,” hence the name “Christkindlsmarkt”, which many of Germany’s Christmas markets are known as today.

Ok, history out the way. Back to shopping.

I started off in Frankfurt because, I love this city. Particularly in December when fairly lights and sparkling Christmas trees make everywhere just seem a little more magical.

The Frankfurt Christmas Market has been going for over 600 years, making it one of the oldest and most popular. In fact, it’s so good there’s even a Frankfurt Christmas Market in Birmingham.

No offense, but I know where I’d rather be any day (even if there is a Harvey Nichols in Birmingham!)

So, I bought some gorgeous wooden toys for my nephew and some snug slippers for my dad before heading to my favourite gay bar in the city Luckys Manhattan
(http://www.luckys-manhattan.com/) where I befriended a lovely lesbian couple and we showed off our purchases.

Cologne was my next shopping stop. There are seven Christmas markets in total here, but I head straight to the one at Cologne Cathedral where I bag some more hand-crafted bargains and fill up on mulled wine.

The Gay Games are being held in Cologne next year, so its good to get to know the city now.

Feeling all warm and fuzzy after a couple of glasses of hot red I headed to my favourite gay bar in the city Max Bar http://lithowerk.de/maxbar/index.html it’s packed with gay boys but is totally lez-friendly.

The final must-see city on my Christmas markets marathon is Munich which has it’s very own gay or ‘pink’ Christmas Market. Held at Stephansplatz this is the place to pick up quirky gifts for your queer mates. And of course, the town-centre’s more traditional Christmas Markets mean you’ll find something for mum too!

Happy Christmas gays and gals, and happy shopping!


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20 Years Of Reunification

Darren Cooper, travel editor for Beige Magazine reflects on the 20 years since the Berlin Wall came down and why it still has relevance for the worldwide LGBT community today.

It's hard to believe that it’s been 20 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall. I can still vividly remember watching events unfold on TV in 1989 and the sense of a new age dawning. At 17 it was hard not to be caught up in the swing of things. Young and idealistic at the time it seemed that at the dawn of this, a new decade, change like at no other time in history was afoot and of course it was.

Back at home things seemed a little less optimistic, the Poll Tax was introduced in Scotland, Iran had broken off diplomatic ties with the UK over Salmon Rushdie’s Satanic Verses and, perhaps most worryingly of all, Kylie and Jason topped the charts with ‘Especially for You’. So the fall of the Berlin Wall, reunification of Germany and the imminent end of the Cold War was definitely something worth celebrating.

In fact it wasn’t just in Germany in 1989 that people were rejecting the old and standing up to tyranny and oppression. Poland’s first free elections ushered in the Solidarity Party and Hungary dismantled the first section of the iron curtain to fall along a 150 mile stretch of their border with Austria. The impetus for the Velvet Revolution, also in 1989 in the Czech Republic came in part at least from East German’s catching the train to Prague and then on to West Germany. The fall of the wall in November may have made this detour redundant, but the images of Czech citizens facing up to heavily armoured riot police are still as relevant today as they ever were.

In still more troubling protests, innocent and peaceful demonstrators were killed in both Tiananmen Square and Tbilisi's central square in Georgia, simply for demanding the human rights that we now take for granted. This kind of struggle is surely not lost on the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities. For most of us at least those images of someone offering a line of riot police a flower, or a single student standing with arms outstretched in the way of a tank is something that we as a community can and should especially identify with.

The fall of the Berlin Wall wasn’t something that just happened on its own, and of course while this was part of a much larger transformation that was happening all over Eastern Europe, Berlin seemed to solidify the feeling that was taking place all over the world. This was the start of something big, the aftershocks of which are still being felt all over the world today, people matter.

There’s something further about the events of 9 November 1989 that should also resonate with the LGBT community today too. The first people to arrive at the wall on that day 20 years ago were few, but what started as a trickle soon developed into a deluge. Normal, every-day people started to turn up in their hundreds, then thousands to protest against injustice and division and changed history, sound familiar?

I think that it’s no coincidence that gay rights group Stonewall was also founded in 1989, an organisation that sought to take down the walls of intolerance and bigotry brick by brick starting with the notorious section 28. It’s no secret that Margaret Thatcher was in favour of keeping the Berlin Wall, as well as denying equality for everyone. Thankfully though what happened in Berlin gave hope and showed that a few ordinary people, a trickle can turn into a deluge that changes the world despite what politicians and regimes think.

As I watched the celebrations that took place in Berlin this November I couldn’t help but look back at the optimism I felt 20 years ago and reflect on how both I and the world have changed over the last 2 decades. I’ve now been to Germany, many times and have found it to be one of the least divided places in the world to travel as a gay tourist. There’s not only a great scene to be enjoyed all over the country, which is one of the most progressive and avant-garde in the world but also great culture, art, history, nightlife and people too.

Germany has taught us all something very important; walls are for houses, not for people. The unification of Germany wasn’t just about connecting people geographically; it was also about connecting people socially and integration too, something that everyone ultimately benefits from.

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Walls Come Tumbling Down

I'm travel editor of the UK's biggest and best lesbian magazine Diva, which means when I'm not hunting down Deutschland's hot spots, I'm exploring the great and the glamorous gay scenes around the world.

I know I can come across as a little flighty and shallow with all this talk of spas and gay bars, but every now and then something a bit more meaningful captivates my attention and puts all these glam jaunts around Germany into perspective.

I’m in Berlin this week, and sure, I’ve been to Checkpoint Charlie and posed in front of the graffiti-clad remnants of the Wall before, but for some reason this visit I’ve really stopped to think what this behemoth of a barrier meant for my favourite city.

I’m so used to hopping on a bus and going from the upmarket West to the über cool East, I just can’t imagine what life was like at a time when a barricaded border severed the two sides of the city, creating a political and ideological wall as much as a literal one.

I can’t help feeling that it’s this richly complicated history that makes Berlin such a complex, edgy and fascinating place.

2009 marks the 20th anniversary of the Peaceful Revolution and the fall of the Berlin Wall. These events triggered drastic changes around the world, marking the end of the Cold War and of the division of Europe.

On a smaller scale, the fall of the Wall meant the city had a lot of catching up to do, and fast. This has contributed to the sense of constant kinesis I always feel from Berlin. It’s making and remaking itself as new on such a regular basis that it is without a doubt Europe’s most exciting city.

Berlin’s young, fashionable gay scene is equally fresh. Parties and ‘places to be’ are driven by trends and are as mutable as Kylie Minogue. Nothing hangs around long enough to seem tired or outdated, meaning every time I visit Berlin there’s something new to experience on the scene.

I’m in town for the Festival of Freedom (7 to 9 November) which is celebrated on both sides of the Brandenburg Gate. The highlight of this event is the multimedia staging of the symbolic fall of the Wall using a 'domino effect'. Amazing, and so powerful.

I also made time this trip to visit the Berlin Gay Museum (www.schwulesmuseum.de) which holds a fascinating collection documenting Germany’s often-troubled GLBT life, as well as Berlin’s history as Europe’s post-war queer capital, which reached its heyday in the 1920s. I learnt that the reawakening of Berlin’s gay subculture happened slowly throughout the 1950s, culminating in 1968 with the abolition of Paragraph 175 which had outlawed homosexuality.

What I really respect about Berlin is that it doesn’t shy away from its past. There’s the beautiful Holocaust Memorial of course, but also just across the street, at the entrance to Tiergarten Park, you’ll see a slightly off-kilter cube set by the side of the path. Read the sign, which proclaims that this newest of memorials (inaugurated in 2008) honours the GLBT victims of the Nazis and stands as “a lasting symbol of opposition to enmity, intolerance, and the exclusion of gay men and lesbians”.


As this year, marking the 20th anniversary of the reunification of Germany, draws to a close, there’s no better time to visit Berlin and discover its fascinating pre and post-war history. Learning more about Nazi rule, the Berlin Wall and how a vibrant gay and lesbian community didn’t just survive, but went on to thrive, put today’s scene in context for me.

It meant that later that evening while I was sipping a cocktail in Rosa’s bar I felt not just part of a trendy, emerging gay Berlin but also connected to the people and places that defined the city’s colourful queer past. And somehow it made that Mojito taste so much the sweeter.


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Spas in Her Eyes

I'm travel editor of the UK's biggest and best lesbian magazine Diva, which means when I'm not hunting down Deutschland's hot spots, I'm exploring the great and the glamorous gay scenes around the world.

I've been pretty suprised by the diversity of Germany and just like my idol Marlene Dietricht, now 'I always keep a suitcase in Berlin'.

Happy reading!

For more information on what's happening right now visit GayGermany.co.uk - the official gay and lesbian site of the German National Tourist Office


Spas in her eyes
Lotte Jeffs takes some time out in Germany’s fabulous spas

Jet-setting really can take its toll. After a solid month flitting from plane cabins to hotel rooms, dancing in dyke bars around the world, being plied with cocktails by well-meaning locals who also insist I sample a certain dish (or seven), and waking up without remembering when or how I managed to get to bed – there was only one thing for it…

Detox!

The problem was, I didn’t want to sacrifice my gloriously nomadic lifestyle to be holed up in the priory for two weeks. No, I’d need to find a destination that I could explore via its spas and wellness retreats.

So once again, Germany came a calling.

Right across the country, traditional mineral spring resorts meet five star spas, offering something for every kind of detox junkie out there.

I started off in Bad Driburg, a quaint little town about 100km from Düsseldorf. I’d heard the Gräflicher Park Hotel Spa (http://www.graeflicher-park.de/) had been given a fab makeover and the spa now takes advantage of the beneficial effects of the local natural spring water and the rich mud cut from the region’s bogs. I simply had to check it out.

I chilled in the spa garden, got involved in some complicated bathing rituals, and let a rather attractive German lady pummel me senseless with hot stones.

Next stop Bad Pyrmont, near Hanover, and the Hotel Fürstenhof – opened in 1783 it’s said to be the first “Kurhaus” (spa hotel) in the world. I love a bit of history so took my still weary body for a good soak in the Jacuzzi and made time for a little full-body massage.

Although a trip to Café Caldo (Hanover’s iconic gay bar) was tempting, I spent the night in a room here with only The L Word season 5 box set for company, and actually I felt far better for it.

And talking of traditional spa towns, Baden-Baden (so good they named it twice), is where royalty and European aristocrats hung out in the 18th and 19th centuries – today it appeals to queens of a different kind who get a taste of the high life at places like Brenner’s Park-Hotel & Spa (http://www.brenners.com/).

Delving even further into the Black Forest (ooh err!) I find Hotel Traube Tonbach (http://www.traube-tonbach.de/).

Here I experienced a traditional German hay wrap – a detoxifying treatment where you’re wrapped in wet, organic hay for twenty minutes. Not as glamorous as I’m used to perhaps, but I’m always up for trying new things!

By this point I was feeling buffed, coiffed and thoroughly detoxed – but I couldn’t even contemplate going home before heading to my spiritual home – Berlin – and spending an afternoon at one of my all time fave spas in the world.

The Liquidrom (http://www.liquidrom-berlin.de/).

The most bananas thing about this spa is its underwater concerts. Float weightlessly in the 34°C saltwater pool and be soothed by meditative underwater music and surreal projections. It’s like being cradled in Mother Nature’s bosom. Mmmm….

For just €80 you get day admission for the sauna and spa, two visits to the tanning solarium at 6 minutes each and a 30 minute massage of your choice – bargain! This is by far my top tip for German spas, so what are you waiting for girls? Grab a dressing gown and slippers and indulge in some well-deserved R&R.

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Oktoberfest

This month saw me heading over to Munich for the world's largest beer festival, Oktoberfest, Prost!

By Darren Cooper.

I’ve never been shy of having a little drink (or two), so when the chance to go to Oktoberfest reared its frothy head, well, let’s just say that I didn’t need all that much persuading.

For most people Oktoberfest probably conjures images of busty wenches serving hordes of moustachioed, lederhosen clad men singing bawdy Bavarian drinking songs. “That all seems rather macho” I hear you thinking, especially for a devotee of Abercrombie & Fitch from West London.

Luckily for me however there is respite from all of that machismo, not that I am adverse to a little machismo you understand, in the shape of ‘Gay Sunday’. This is Oktoberfest’s campest get-together, (although that would be a matter of some debate in my humble opinion considering the afore-mentioned lederhosen/moustachioed proclivities of the locals), with 5,000 homos packing the famous Braurosl Tent, intent on boozing and singing the day away, bottoms up I say!

This isn’t my first visit to Munich; in fact I have been lucky enough to visit Bavaria’s chocolate box capital city on a few occasions previously. This is though the first time that I have been here during what is the world’s largest fair which attracts a staggering 6 million people every year. My flight into Munich courtesy of Lufthansa was a steal at just £49 each way, and this is just one of 7 German cities that can be reached from several airports in the UK at prices that start this low. Certainly there seemed to be plenty more Brits on the flight taking full advantage of the offer for a bargain weekend break in Bavaria.

After my arrival and some hasty unpacking I decide to get my bearings and take a walk into the centre of Munich. Once on the street I start to think that they must have underestimated the amount of people who attend Oktoberfest, it’s heaving.

Thankfully I have done a little homework before arriving and I know just the place to head for, or so I think. The Hofbräuhaus is Munich’s most famous beer hall and considering the nature of the trip it seems like a good idea to get some practice in before the main event. However arriving on Am Platzl, one of Munich’s central squares, it appears that everyone else seems to have the same bright idea and I am going to have more chance of getting a beer in an AA meeting than here.

Luckily the Hofbräuhaus isn’t the only drinking hall in the area, in fact the city is inundated with such establishments, for a full list click here.

Undeterred by a seemingly impenetrable wall of rosy cheeked revellers I decide to check out Ayingers Speis und Trank, which although equally busy seems like my best bet of getting a drink any time soon. This is no time for normal pub etiquette and orderly British queuing it would seem, hold on chaps, I’m going in.

My passage to the bar is hard fought but eventually I wedge myself, limpet like into a cosy corner, a beer held triumphantly in hand. The beer festival hasn’t officially started yet, but no one seems to have noticed so I pass a couple of hours in preparation for tomorrow’s activities.

Hair of the hund, they say is the best cure for the rabid dog that bit you, so with that in mind I head out early the next morning in order to secure for a prime position at Oktoberfest’s opening ceremony. The honour of tapping the first keg is given to Munich’s mayor, and the ceremony is conducted with suitable pomp. This is a significant moment and one I feel privileged to be part of. I’m surrounded by complete strangers and the only real reason we are celebrating is that there’s 7 million litres of beer out there, but a few have each and every one of our names on them, Prost indeed!

It’s taken me a while, but I can finally say that I have learnt to pace myself. It’s hard not to get caught up in the whirlwind of excitement that surrounds the opening rituals and I allow myself briefly to get caught up in the enthusiastic toasts that follow the official breach of that first of oh so many kegs. I have my eye on bigger fish though, namely Gay Sunday so extract myself from the mêlée and head out in search of some much needed nourishment.

If there’s one word that describes Bavarian cuisine it’s substantial and food of the hearty variety is definitely your ally when planning an offensive on such colossal amounts of alcohol. Hunks of roast pork and chicken are the staple fare, along with Würstels as long as your arm served with generous portions of potato, dumplings and of course the ubiquitous Sauerkraut. This is cheery, comfort food and as jovial and good-humoured as the atmosphere it’s served in.

Fed and watered it’s time to retire for a good night’s sleep even though the party is just getting started. In order to get a seat in the Braurosl Tent tomorrow an early start is essential, and this is one party that I am not going to miss for anything.

9am seems a little early to be waiting outside a bar for it to open, I’m not saying it hasn’t happened to me before, let’s just say that I don’t make a habit of it. There are exceptions though and Gay Sunday at Oktoberfest would obviously be one of them. There’s an eclectic crowd already assembled to get their bums on the allocated free seats, perhaps booking package with tickets included would have been a better idea but this is all part of the fun.

The assembled crowd is a rag-tag bunch, some fresh and sprightly, others certainly didn’t find their way to their own beds last night and some wear the evidence of yesterdays drinking badly, but the mood is upbeat and optimistic. I am pleased to say that the lederhosen on show are worn with obvious irony, but then how else should one wear embroidered leather shorts?

The queue shortens slowly, but eventually I make it inside and on to one of the long tables set up in this huge marquee. There’s room for 5,000 people inside and by 10am the place is pretty much full and the beer is well and truly flowing. On my table a group of local guys fill me in on the history of the event which was started to commemorate the marriage Crown Prince Ludwig (later King Ludwig I) and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen in 1810. I’m a little intrigued about why Oktoberfest begins in September and am informed that the festival was lengthened into September because of the good weather, which stimulates the thirst of the visitors, not that anyone needs much encouragement from what I can see.

My history lesson is cut short by the start of the traditional Bavarian band which strikes up on the podium in the centre of the tent; this it would seem is what everyone has been waiting for. Drinking in Bavaria is nothing it would seem without singing and if proof was needed that the language of music is universal, the evidence is plain for all to see. The band takes us trotting around the globe, firstly with ‘Viva Espania’ much to the excitement of a nearby Spanish table and when ‘It's a Long Way to Tipperary’ strikes up the Brits go predictably loco. It’s a great atmosphere and no matter where you’re from it is impossible not to feel included, wunderbar!

As the day progresses the mood gets noticeably jollier and the drinking is only briefly interrupted by the arrival of scores of roast chickens. It’s a token effort at mopping up the alcohol though, Betty Ford would be horrified!

Despite the presence of so much beer there’s a code of conduct which goes something like this. Getting tipsy, enjoying the atmosphere and having gallons of fun is expected, getting Fetznrausch, so totally drunk, that you can do whatever you want because you have already made a fool of yourself is not so cool. As far as I am concerned this is a good thing, knowing your limits (and sticking to them) is the key to everyone having a good time here and people keep the right side of merry so that everyone can enjoy the party. The band strikes up ‘Waltzing Matilda’ and we find ourselves Down Under, much to the joy of the Aussie contingent on the far side of the tent who get their turn to lead the singing and the rest of us don’t need any encouragement to lend our friends a hand.

Have you been to Gay Sunday at Oktoberfest? Then why not let us know your stories and top tips for enjoying the world’s greatest beer festival.

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Berlin Night Watch

I'm travel editor of the UK's biggest and best lesbian magazine Diva, which means when I'm not hunting down Deutschland's hot spots, I'm exploring the great and the glamorous gay scenes around the world.

I've been pretty suprised by the diversity of Germany and just like my idol Marlene Dietricht, now 'I always keep a suitcase in Berlin'.

Happy reading!

Lotte Jeffs gets her glad rags on for five nights of hedonism in lesbian Berlin.

You know those nights that start out as a quick drink and end with you staggering bleary-eyed and a bit baffled into the early morning light, not knowing quite what just happened but being pretty sure, whatever it was, rocked?

I just had one of those nights. In fact I had a whole five of them in a row. Because, well, because I was in Berlin and that’s just kind of what happens.

The dyke scene in the German Capital is like nothing I’ve ever experienced before and the music, fashion, décor and clientele all made me feel like I’d at last stumbled upon the pot of gold at the end of Europe’s lacklustre lesbian rainbow.

For a start the girl bars and club nights are as good, if not better, than the gay guy scene which makes a welcome change from all things lesbian usually being the trendy boys’ ugly sister.

Women don’t leave the club at 11pm because they have to feed their cats. They wouldn’t dream of even arriving until past midnight….

….They don’t wear practical shoes for the walk home – they get their limited edition Nikes or glam girly points on for a night of non-stop dancing….

…And far from the usual lesbian cliqueness, women actually talk to you. Yep, you’re at the bar and instead of elbowing you out the way, the hot girl next to you says ‘hallo’!

It’s a breath of fresh air. Heck, it’s a whole bloody oxygen tank of the stuff.

I started my first night at Drama www.dramabar.de, a fab kitsch little bar with a great mix of boys, babes and butches. Here I met queen of the Berlin lesbian scene Angela Schmerfeld who runs some of the cities most popular girl nights. Checkout http://www.megadyke.de/ for more info.

The main queer spots in Berlin are Kreuzberg, Schöneberg, Mitte and Prenzlauer Berg. But to really be in the know I’d recommend picking up a copy of free lesbian rag L-Mag for all the latest listings.

Since the pre-war years, when the Berlin nightlife attracted the likes of Josephine Baker and Greta Garbo to its ‘divine decadence’ and risqué cabaret clubs, the city has been known as a hotbed of hedonism. Head out after-dark today and you won’t be disappointed.

Angela took me to Schwuz club (schwuz.de) where the “Search and Destroy” night plays dirty indie rock that puts London’s ‘alternative’ scene to shame.

During my whirlwind week in the city I also managed to check out these incredible parties:

Barbie Deinhoff's – artsy, queer with heavy electro and gender-bending fierceness.
www.myspace.com/barbiedeinhoffs

Girls Town (2nd Saturday of the month, every 2 months at Kino International) – good mix of music, a bit less achingly hip than Barbie Deinhoff's but quirky and cool nonetheless. The covered patio is lovely on a balmy late-summer night.
http://www.girlstown-berlin.de/

Gold Lion Parties – Ok, now I like to think I’m kinda trendy, kinda cool and up to date on what’s hot in the lesbian demimonde but my god did this party make me feel like the slightly dowdy out-of-towner – and I loved it! Offering up "indie, electro, fag'n'roll and punk" this occasional, lesbian-run knees-up puts the A-mazing into A-lternative.
www.myspace.com/goldlionparty

Mermaids – one word: INSANE. Get a special shuttle bus to the island Insel der Jugend in the Spree river that runs through Berlin, or if you’re really daring – swim-up for free entry! Expect hot and sweaty girls in vest-tops dancing to everything from Pink to post-punk.
www.myspace.com/mermaids_berlin

This is a mere snapshot of my five nights in the party capital. There’s way more to explore and whether you’re looking to shoot some pool in an old-school dyke dive or wear Vivienne Westwood and dance to Telepathe (www.myspace.com/telepathe) you’re guaranteed to have a gay old time in the city that never, ever sleeps.


Your shout – leave a comment!
Let me know if you have any top tips for places I can visit next time!

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Funky, fun, futuristic architecture!

While Lotte Jeffs is glamming it up on Berlin’s avant-garde lesbian scene I have commandeered the intellectual high ground to better cast an eye over some of Germany’s equally forward thinking modern architecture.

It’s hard to believe that it has been 20 years since the reunification of Germany. I can vividly remember seeing the Berlin Wall being torn down on the television; it’s hard to forget such monumentous events. As well as signalling the end of the Cold War this was also a beginning too though. A new reunified Germany was getting ready to rebuild itself and with some pretty radical results as I found out.

Architecture has always mirrored the political and social ideology of the time in which it was built and the events of 1988 inspired a new wave of enlightened and positive German construction. 20 years on I decided to take a look at some of the iconic landmarks that were inspired by the optimism surrounding German reunification.

Perhaps the most historically significant of these is Berlins renovated Reichstag which housed Germany’s Parliament from 1894 until it was destroyed by a fire 1933. The home of Germany’s democracy stood derelict and forlorn (rather symbolically) for years right on the boundary between East and West Berlin until it was renovated during the 1960s. In 1990 a buoyant Germany held the official reunification ceremony here, but it was the subsequent renovation by Norman Foster for which the building is now widely recognised.

You can’t help but notice the new Reichstag building, virtually all that is left of the original building is the ornate facade, but it is Sir Norman’s glass dome which really grabs your attention, especially at night when it glows on top of the building. This gleaming metal and glass structure comes complete with a ramp which spirals around the outside of the dome giving unparalleled views of the Berlin Sky line.

The dome overlooks the debating chamber for the Bundestag, a design feature which focuses on making the process of government more transparent. Perhaps our own government should be taking note and well they might, the design strongly influenced Fosters design for London’s county hall on the South Bank.

Foster is far from the only brilliant architect to be invited to come and strut his stuff in Germany though. Frank Gehry’s unique style of deconstructionism has been responsible for the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao and LA’s Walt Disney Concert Hall. His equally eccentric contributions to the German skyline can be seen both in Hamburg and on Düsseldorf’s waterfront where three buildings collectively known as Der Neue Zollhof stand.

These office blocks trick the eye from a distance challenging both perception and perspective. They are wavy undulating creations that lack any conventional form and are both playful and funky at the same time, you could be forgiven for thinking that they had slipped right of the pages of a Manga comic book. Conventional these buildings are not but I like them, so much more interesting than the angular, uniform office spaces you see in so many other cities.

If Gehry’s buildings are funky then Iraqi born architect Zaha Hadid’s brand of deconstructionism on show at the Phaeno Science Center in Wolfsburg defines hip, in fact it’s positively groovadelic. The centre resembles some huge off-worldy leviathan that has made an unscheduled stop for some reason in Lower Saxony. So fascinating is this building that I defy anyone not to want to explore further, and this is where the fun really starts. The inside spaces are as futuristic as the science exhibits it houses, this structure just gets ‘curioser and curioser’.

I have only just scratched the surface of some of Germany’s Innovative and forward thinking buildings here, but it’s great to see so much humour and pioneering spirit in some outstanding design. Great buildings need inspiration I suppose and it would seem that in the last 20 years Germany has provided that in spades, and the results are right here for everyone to see.

Your shout – leave a comment!Let me know if you have any recommendations for funky, fun or futuristic buildings in Germany.

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Life’s a beach in Germany

Intrepid reporter Lotte Jeffs dives right in and discovers life's a beach in Northern Germany. Come on in, the water's just lovely!




I’m sipping a piña colada, looking out over sparkling blue seas while a hot girl in a skimpy bikini fans me with a palm leaf.

Ok, ok. I made that last bit up – but seriously, guess where I am. Barbados? No. The Bahamas? No. Believe it or not I’m actually sunning myself in Büsum, a tranquil little seaside resort on Germany’s North Sea coast.

I’ll leave it to you to insert the inevitably smutty puns about me getting a good feel of Büsum, as frankly I don’t have time for such easy innuendo!

What I do have time for though is Germany’s surprisingly idyllic beaches. See, it’s not all about Büsum where hikes, watersports, spas and shopping are the order of the day.

Sylt – Germany’s northern-most point is a lovely island in the North Sea. Its sandy beaches are divine, especially if stripping off’s your thing.

The island is famous for its nudist beaches, more poetically known as FKK areas, which translates as ‘free body culture’. This is as gay as it gets and although the ‘free body’ beaches are no Fire Island there’s a great sense of open-mindedness from all.

When you’ve had enough ogling (the views, of course) take a trip inland to one of Sylt’s fabulous restaurants, like Jörg Müller, which brings a dash of elegance to seaside life with fancy Swiss/ German fare and gorgeous surroundings.

Next stop on my beach-hopping tour of Germany is Helgoland, a Frisian island off the northwest coast. It started off belonging to Denmark, then Britain got its hands on it, before it was finally ceded to Germany in 1890 – and if you ask me, anywhere this coveted must be good. As well as a rich and fascinating history, this quirky island is a tax haven, so shopping is a must!

Heligendamm is Germany’s oldest seaside resort and is known for its beautiful white classical villas – kinda Key West meets The Hamptons. And who knew? In 2007 home to the G8 summit! But don’t let the fact George Bush dipped his toes in the water here put you off, it’s a super sophisticated spot for sojourn by the sea.

The northeastern island of Usedom, on the boarder with Poland, has spanking white sand that could rival the Caribbean. There are a host of gay-friendly hotels dotted around Usedom and some fab spas. Over in Kühlungsborn, a gorgeous seaside resort town on the Ostsee, 19th century architecture (there are no hideous high rise hotels here) and nearby pine forests make for a chilled-out beach break.

There are so many hidden gems of beaches in Germany, this quick round-up far from covers all the options. But I’ve got to say – my favourite of all the country’s seaside spots has got to be Berlin’s Urban Beach.

For a start it’s where you’ll find all the cutest gay guys and gals showing off their trendy swimwear. Strandmarkt is one of 30 beaches that have sprung up in Berlin It’s a crazy country-and-western style beach, bar and play area.

Also worth taking a bucket and spade to is Strandbar Mitte, the first modern urban beach to open in the centre of Berlin. Its super well-organised, clean and slam bang in the heart of the city’s gayest and most fashionable area.

Right, that’s about all I’ve got time for this month sun-lovers. So pour me another piña and bring back the girl with the palm because Ich bin ein beach-goer and I’ve got me some German rays to catch.

Tschüss!

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Berlin Park Life

Darren Cooper gives it the old razzle dazzle as he finds out just where it's all at in Berlin this August. Want to find out more? Read on for the low down on Berlin's high life!

Friedrichshain Festival.


It’s that festival time of year again and the whole country has once again gone mad for some live external entertainment. From Edinburgh to the Isle of White the annual summer festival exodus has become something of a rite of passage. A modern day pilgrimage to spend 4 days in a wet field knee deep in mud with dubious toilet facilities, all for the privilege of seeing some scarcely visible figures bounce around on a distant stage.

This year instead of following the great unwashed across the British Countryside I decided to head for foreign climes and pastures new. The continent beckoned and with the thought of trading my tent for a hotel I didn’t need much encouragement to head for Berlin and the annual Friedrichshain gay and lesbian festival.

Berlin is no stranger to holding large scale events and celebrations. Anyone who has been to a Love Parade will know just how voracious this city’s appetite is for partying. Berlin’s Pride http://www.csd-berlin.de/ in June is also one of Europe’s largest (and wildest) which is preceded the weekend before by the awesome Lesbisch-Schwules Stadtfest http://www.regenbogenfonds.de/ (Lesbian and Gay City Festival) so there’s a packed queer calendar in this city.

The Friedrichshain Festival is a one day event that took place on Saturday 15 August this year so I had some time to explore the city too. I managed to get a room at Europe’s newest ‘hetero friendly’ hotel, the Axel (http://www.axelhotels.com/) which is strategically placed in Schöneberg, Berlin’s largest gay district. Unsurprisingly the hotel is all sleek lines and contemporary finishes, but I didn’t have time to admire the decor with Schöneberg waiting.

Schöneberg was the inspiration for the movie Cabaret when in 1930s Berlin this was a hotbed of debauchery and wantonness, so affecting my best Velma Kelly strut I headed out to Razzle Dazzle ‘em.

My first stop was Motzstrasse which has a dizzying array of bars, shops, cinemas and cafes. The atmosphere is relaxed and it’s busy, one of the benefits of being here during a gay festival I guess.

You could be intimidated by the scene here which can be rather heavy on the leather side; however jeans and a t-shirt seem to be just as acceptable. Anyone interested in adding to their leather wardrobe though will find plenty of hide on sale. I checked out the Mr. B shop where there is a mind boggling array of items on offer. After a good browse I leave decidedly better educated but only have the courage to buy a leather wristband.

Feeling more appropriately dressed it’s time to hit some bars. Tom’s Bar was the first on my list which seems to follow a fairly standard format for the bars in the area. It’s a testosterone fuelled romp with a bar in front and darker more private spaces the further you venture inside. I met couple from just outside Amsterdam who are regulars to Berlin for the scene and are unaware of the Festival tomorrow. It seems there’s much more to tempt visitors to this city than a party in a park, no matter how large it is.

There are lots of similar bars in and around Schöneberg and I end a rather eventful bar crawl (the less said about that the better!) around 2am and head back to the tranquillity of the Axel.

The festival doesn’t start until 3pm, which thankfully gave me ample time to use the fitness and wellness facilities at the Axel. There’s nothing like a workout and a Jacuzzi to clear away the remnants of a hangover and refreshed I head out the door once more.

It’s a short cab ride to Volkspark Friedrichshain which is the second largest park in Berlin after the vast Tiergarten. Friedrichshain is more manicured than the Tiergarten and I join a steadily growing throng of queer folk as we ambled past statues and fountains glistening in the sunshine as we headed for the entrance to the festival.

The festival actually takes the same format as a pride event, without the parade. The atmosphere is jovial and celebratory even if the themes for these events are based on discrimination against the LGBT community.



I was torn between finding a patch of grass close to one of the stages to stretch out on and make some new acquaintances, (everyone here just loves to talk English!) and the dance tents that shudder with each new bass beat. In the end the tempo of the tents proves too irresistible and I headed into the mass of bodies buoyed up by thudding upbeat techno.

The party got me thinking about where I’ll be spending the rest of the evening. Berghain www.berghain.de was recently voted the best club in the world by DJ mag in London, so that’s a must I think. Then if I have the energy Kit Kat, which was incidentally named after one of those infamous 1930s establishments, and quite rightly too is also a possibility. Perhaps that’s the subject of another blog though and I’ll just focus on what’s here right now, it seems more than fun enough to be getting on with.

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Welcome to MyGayGermany!

Welcome to MyGayGermany, your gateway to the best news, information, updates and advice on all the wonderful things GayGermany has to offer to lesbian and gay travellers.

MyGayGermany is a new interactive initiative aimed at giving you real time, honest information on what’s hot and happening in queerest Germany right now.

We have sent two intrepid explorers deep into the heart of Germany to check out a multitude of experiences.

From the secluded beaches of northern Germany to the mountains of Bavaria, Lotte and Darren will be posting their thoughts and ideas on where to go, what to see and when is the best time to visit a whole host of regions, cities and districts.

There’s a wealth of gay culture available to tourists travelling in the country including some of the best nightlife and most exciting festivals and parties in Europe, but don’t just take our word for it!

Leave your own thoughts, ideas, tips and recommendations on what to see and do in your favourite German destinations.

Where do you like to party, where are your most exciting spots to play, where are your favourite places to eat, where do you like to stay?

Find out all you need to know on gay and lesbian travel to Germany, and please leave your own recommendations so that others can benefit from your knowledge.

More information?

Visit GayGermany.co.uk - the official gay and lesbian site of the German National Tourist Office

Videos are at YouTube.com/MyGayGermany

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